Molding machine



April. 29, 1924. 1,491,995

J. J. MCEWAN MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 17. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

J. J. MCEWAN MOLDING MACHINE April l29 1924.- 1,491,995

Filed May 17. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mili 1 pw/ff@ INV/ENTOR.

ATTURNEY" m y v irl-,asas .asa as, rea-a JOHN MCEWAN, 0l TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

MOLDENG MAGHNE.

application led May 17,

to shines, more particularly machines for autematicallyY forming, molding and pressing plastic clay into hollow articles; the` principal object of the invention beingto provide an eriicient machine of this character is embodying means for producing a receptacle of rectilinear or other shape having a bottom and side walls formed integral,'such as sinks, crooks, or other hollow articles; further' objects being to embody simplicity se of construction and durability'with general sa in means a box snu l encasin' saidV effectiveness of` operation.

' In carrying out my invention l employ reciprocating and telescopically arranged parts comprising: a clay-carrying and feedmeans, an endless presser horizontally engaging around said box, a flask engaging around said presser, a removable horizontal partition within said iask, a base-block ext tended vertically within said iask and supporting said partition, a reciprocating plunger for forcing clay through said claycarrying means, means for operating said parts, and other novel i'eatures, all as hereorth in the annexed claims.

ln the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a front view of my improved molding machine. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig.y 4 .is a similar view showing the several parts of the device in diderent correlativo positions; and Y Figfi ures 5, 6 and 7 are 'fragmentary views oi details oi' the machine. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view on the line 8-8 of. Fig. l.

ln the example of my' invention illustrated by the drawings, l indicates ,a metal base having a rectilinear block 2 extended upwardly therefrom; surrounding this block and snugly fitting its four sides is a metal flask r3, having a removable wall d which is fastened by means of swinging bolts 5, the heads of said bolts being pivoted on lugs 6, ci' the end walls of the i'lask, and

inaiter fully described and specifically set' ieee. i serial no. 381,891.

extended through slots 7` of said removable wall, said bolts being tired within said slots by means" of thumb nuts 8.' rlhe iiask 3 is further provided with a removablepartition or bottom 9, having a spur i0 extended from its upper surface.

ln telescopic engagement within the flask 3 is a reciprocating metal, sleeve making a presser ll, which surrounds a reciprocating box i2, having a removable front wall 13 and extended end walls it, which are fixed to a cross-head hereinafter described. The bottom of the bon i2 is provided with a circular opening l, which registers over the spur l() or the partition 9. lNithin the box l2 is a removable receptacle l5, having a circular opening 16 through its bottom which registers over the opening 14: oi." thev bottom box l2.

` Extended upwardly from Veach end wall oi the flask 3 isa reciprocating rod 17 these are fixed to said end walls by means of screws 'i8 and sleeves 19', and they respectively extend'through a reciprocating horizontal cross-head 20, which traverses vertical slots 2l of uprights 22 extended up wardly from the respective end parts of the base l, and they are bridged at their upper ends by means oi an arched cross-beam 23. Fixed to the upper end oi' each rod 17 is one end ci' a chain 24; these chains respectively extend upwardly from said rods, over sprocket wheels and thence downwardly under and partly around sprocket wheels 26", and upwardly to the lower ends of said rods i7, `to which they are lined, whereby rotary movement given to said sprocket wheels imparts vertically slidable movement to said rods.V rlhe sprocket wheels 25 are fined to lateral shafts a, which are journaled through hangers and they are respectively provided with a crank 25a, said cranks adapted for rotating said sprocket wheels. 'lhe sprocket wheels 26b are journaled through and between 'uprights c, and fixed to lateral shafts d; said uprights also acting as guide means for directing the vertical movements of the rods 17. The cross-head 20, at each of its extended ends, is connected to and between the chains 2li, whereby when the rods 17 slide through the cross-head in one direction said crosseach end wall of the reciprocative sleeve 11,

is a rod 26, these yrods slidably engage bear- `ling-holes formed through the cross beams 23, and they also extend freely through openings formed in thev oros-head 20. Coiled around each rod 26 and bearingY between the beam 23 and fixed collars 28 of the rods 26 are contractile'springs29, having a normal tendency toA force the presser-sleeve 11 downwardly towards the upper surface of the partition 9 ofthe flask 3. As a means for holding the presserfsleeve 11 in arbitrarily set position, IV provide set screws 30, Hwhich are threaded laterally `through the beam 23 and bear at their inner ends against the rods 26; when the apparatus is being operated these set screws are loosened to allow the plunger 31 is connected with the piston-rod.

32a of the press 32 and it is given downward movement when thepiston ofk the press is actuated. v e

The plunger 31 is maintained normally in vposition shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings CIA by means of trip-pawls 33, whenthe apparatus is at rest. Y Y

In the operation and use of the invention, when it isdesired to form a hollow clay vessel, asf35 Fig. 4 of the drawings,"the front wall 13 of the box 12 is first removed, then the receptacle` 15 is removed and loaded with a desirable quantity of plastic clay of any suitable character, said receptacle is then replaced within said box and the front wall of said box is also replaced. rlhe parts are then moved into correlative positions approximating the positions illustrated by Fig. 3 ofthe drawings by means of the cranks 25a, the flask 3 being at the upper end of its vertical stroke and the sleeve 11 and boxv 12 being telescoped therein. Then the plunger 3l is given downward movement, Yand as it snugly fits within the receptacle 15, its downward movement forces the plastic clay out through the openings 16 and 14C, around the spur 10 and spreads it beneath the box 12,

said box being lifted by rotating the sprocket wheels 25 and held in place a sucient distance above the partition to allow forthe desireddepth of. the bottom of the vessel being formed, further downward movement of the plunger 31 forces clay beneath the lower edge of the presser-sleeve 11 and` moves said sleeve upwardly against the tension of the springs 29, for a sufficient distance to form `the verticalwalls of the vessel githen downward movement of the plunger 31 is stopped by cutting ofi1 the means for actuating it. By means of the cranks 25a, and the chain,

vwheel and rod` connections the flaskV 3 is moved .tov its lowermost position and the box 12 to its uppermost position, also shown inV said Fig. 1.V The plunger 31 is then moved upwardly and brought into engagement with the trip-pawls 33; the sleeve 11 is placed and set in required position above the, now formed, clay vessel to permit of lateral -removalof said vessel and its supporting partition 9, the presser sleeve 11 being manually Vlifted and held in lifted position by means of the set-screws 30. n

The nished vessehbeing in moist condition, when it leaves the press,YV is allowed to remain on the vpartition 9, for a sufficient length of time to dry out before itV is sub-,f

jected to the customary baking and harden? ing process. Therefore, I provide a plu` rality of partitions 9 forthe flask 3, so that the machine may be continuously used while its product is dryingout, and I can rapidly produce a large quantity of-vessels. VJhileV I have illustrated anddescribed a machine for producingrectilinear vessels, it

is-obvious that cylindrical vessels or vessels of other crossy sectlonalcontourmay be pro- 'duced by changing the shape of the telescopical parts; other changes in detail of the several parts of the device may be employedv without departing 4from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iv claimV as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f y

1. In a machine/,of the character described, a clay-containing and Vfeeding receptacle, av reciprocating plunger, reciprocating box encasing saidclay-containing receptacle, a refV ciprocating spring-yieldable presser sleeve engaging around said encasing box, alrecip-V Y roca-ting flask engaging around said pressersleeve, a removable kpartition within vsaid flask, a basefblock extended within said flask, and means for actuating said reciprocating parts, said box and said flask adapted'to n move in opposite directions,

2. In a machine of the character described,

a clay-containing and feeding receptacle comprising a bottom and` side walls, said bottom having an opening therethrough, and Y 3. In a machine of the characterdescribed,

a clay containing and feedingy receptacle Y having an openingvthrough its bottom, and

,a reciprocating plunger adapted to move within said receptacle, anda reciprocating box encasing said receptacle, said box havracines ing an opening through its bottom which registers with the said opening of the container' bottom, and a reciprocating and spring-yieldable presser engaging around said box, and a reciprocating flask engaging around said presser, and a removable partition within said flask, said partition having a spur which registers with the said opening of the receptacle and its box, and a basebloclr extended within said flask and supporting said partition, and means for actuating said reciprocating parts, whereby they are moved in opposite directions.

ln a machine of the character described, a clay-containing and feeding receptacle having an opening through its bottom, and a reciprocating plunger adapted to move Within said receptacle, and a reciprocating box encasing said receptacle, said box hav ing a removable side and an opening through its bottom which registers With said opening of the bottom of said clay-containing receptacle, and a reciprocating and spring-yieldable presser-sleeve engaging around said box," and a reciprocating ask engaging around said presser-sleeve, said flask having a removable side, and a removable partition within said iask, and a baseblock extended within said iiask and sup porting said partition, and means for actuating said reciprocating parte, wherebyl they move in opposite directions.

5. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of a clay-containing and feeding receptacle, a reciprocating plunger and means for operating said plunger, a reciprocating casing for said receptacle, a reciprocating and spring-yieldable pressersleeve engaging around said casing, a reciprocating flask engaging around pressen sleeve, a removable partition within said iask, and a base-block extended within said iiaslr, and a cross-head carrying said casing, and upright reciprocating rods carrying said presser, and springs for actuating said press er, and upright rods connected with said ask and extended through said cross-head, and chains connected to said rods and to said cross-heads, and sprocket wheels ein gaging said chains, whereby rotation of said sprocket wheels reciprocates said clay-carrying and feeding receptacle and said ask in opposite direction for pressing and forming clay within said iiaslr, and means for supporting said parts.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this third day of May, A. D. 1920.

JHN J. MGEWAN. 

